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Earthly Dragon, Soaring Palm
Earthly Dragon, Soaring Palm is a wuxia novel by Derek Dorris. It is the first part of the Frog and the Well series and is followed by Divine Tiger, Heaven Palm. It was published on 8th August 2017 on Kindle Direct Publishing. Background Set over a thousand years ago during the fictional Liu Dynasty, the novel follows a young martial arts apprentice who battles intrigue and treachery in the era of the Ten Greats. As he races against time to perfect his unique kung fu style, our young hero struggles to balance his rapidly growing power with his desire to remain true to his ideals while his country teeters on the brink of war. The title refers to the famed Earthly Dragon Sect and the Soaring Palm martial art that the protagonist masters towards the end of the story. Plot Set in the ancient world of Wulin where ten immensely powerful fighters stand imperious above all others, the story follows the orphaned Bai Feng from his childhood, which is marked by a passionate respect for the artistic qualities of kung fu, through his training at the legendary Earthly Dragon Sect where he learns to suppress his ego and allows the art of kung fu to blossom, to his adulthood where he becomes embroiled in a battle for the survival of his country. As the plot unfolds, Bai Feng and the martial experts he encounters are drawn to either side of the coming war and a question central to the practice of kung fu is finally answered. Characters Main Characters: * Bai Feng was born in the southeast of the country and raised by the pacifist monks of the Lowly Sea Sect. When he was eleven years old he ran away from the monastery and encountered a series of ambitious young warriors, who led him to Earthly Mountain where he spent the next ten years as a disciple of the legendary Earthly Dragon Sect. There he honed his internal and external kung fu around the concept of egolessness. When he finally leaves the mountain, the twenty-one year Bai Feng is faced with a series of daunting challenges where his internal control and ego are tested to their boiling points. Along the way, Bai Feng meets several profound masters and learns a number of exquisite martial arts. Each of them in their own way adds to his internal struggles but none more so than the Twenty-Five Lightning Arm Stances invented by the Old Fool of Wulin, Liao Quan. As Bai Feng forms an unbreakable bond with the eccentric old master, the two men are drawn into the wider conflict of the Liu-Qui conflict and Bai Feng must use his delicately balanced kung fu to help save his country from invasion. Bai Feng is smart and fearless. He possesses a deep modesty and seems to innately grasp the concept of egolessness. This made him an ideal candidate for the teachings of the Earthly Dragon. ** Skills:' '''The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations; The Twenty-Five Lighting Stances; Soaring Palm Style; Silver Five Form; Seven Winds Form; Empty Palm Form; Swallow Kick Form; Wrestling; Trapping & Deflection; Projectiles, Sword, Spear, & Staff. * '''Tu Ling' was a member of the Jade Tigers, an illicit organisation that engages in espionage, kidnapping, and murder-for-hire. She is the daughter of Jade Tiger boss and encounters Bai Feng while working for her father. ** Skills: Jade Tiger Kung Fu, Tracking, Espionage. ' '''The Ten Greats of Wulin: * '''Liao Quan' is an eccentric and wild individual who comes and goes as he pleases. Known as “the Old Fool”, he is quite possibly the oldest person alive and being naturally egoless he thinks radically different to everyone else. This has allowed him to learn martial skills to a vastly superior level than normal experts. ** Skills: The Twenty-Five Lighting Stances; The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations * Reverend Tai is the Abbot of the Shaolin Temple and leader of the order. Known as “Infinite Sky”, he is seen as the moral leader of Wulin but he is also an incredibly powerful practitioner of hard external kung fu. ** Skills: Boundless Palm Kung Fu, Shaolin Internal Arts * Yu Guo Wei is a nefarious master with a hunched back and poor hygiene. In addition to an exquisite soft style of kung fu, he has mastered the production and use of countless poison, sedatives, acids, and explosives. For this reason he is often referred to as “the Divine Alchemist”. ** Skills: Cotton Viper Kung Fu; Master of chemical compounds. * Wong Shi Hong is an itinerant master who roams the Jianghu perfecting his martial arts and enjoys drinking and gambling almost to the same extent. Known as the “the Majestic Wanderer”, he is generally regarded as the most patriotic of all the greats. However, his true dedication is to the people of his country whom he has dedicated his life to protecting against foreign invaders. To that end, he established the Plum Tree Brotherhood, a secret society spread throughout the country that organises patriotic kung fu experts into local militias and who he runs with the help of his sole disciple Xun Da. ** Skills: 100 Fists of Majestic Oak; Earthly Dragon Style * Tao Huiqing is a formidable warrior who moved to the north of the country and became a Taoist priest when his wife left him. Known as “Folding Wind”, he specialises in a kicking-based martial art which he developed and honed at the Shangqing Monastery. ** Skills: Shangqing Kicking Style * Fu Xiaoli is an irritable and unforgiving female master who detests those who abuse or mistreat women. Know as the greatest swordfighter in Wulin, she wields a long thin blade of peerless blue steel which she uses mainly for piercing attacks. For this reason, she is referred to as “the Blue Lady”. She was married to Tao Huiqing. ** Skills:' '''The Shrieking Blade Style * '''Wen Weisheng' is one half of a terrifying martial couple referred to as “the Heavenly Siblings”. Referred to as “the Heavenly Tailor” because of his expertise in clothes-making, he has developed a ruthless martial art around the use of needles. He can throw them as projectiles or incorporate them into his punching with equal mastery. Wen Weisheng and his sister-wife travel the Jianghu together and are known as much for their proclivities with human skin as they are for their intimate relationship. ** Skills: Golden Needle Style; Embroidery. * Wen Zhu is the female half of the Heavenly Siblings. More prone to viciousness than her brother, the Heavenly Seamstress is quick to punish anyone who refers to her intimate relationship with her brother. Wielding a whip made from long threads of silk, she is an expert in long-distance fighting. When combined with her brother-husband’s close-range needle punches, they make for an almost unbeatable duo. ** Skill: Silken Thread Style; Embroidery. * Yang Shu or “Silver Phoenix” is a ruthless female warrior from the western plains. After being rescued by Fu Xiaoli and Tao Huiqing, she fell in love with Folding Wind and moved to the central plains to be closer to him. While her feelings were never reciprocated, this action inadvertently caused the famed martial couple of Fu and Tao to split up. Living the life of a hermit from that point on, Yang Shu perfected her mace-based artform and used it as a basis to a devastating style of hand-to-hand combat. ** Skill: Silver Fire Form * Jade Zither is the least well known of the Ten Greats to the extent that nobody even knows her real name. Regarded as one of the most beautiful women in the empire, she developed a unique style of kung fu based around the properties of music. She carries a zither and bamboo xiao. She uses the latter to launch projectiles while fighting. ** Skills: Infinite Tempo, Endless Melody Style; an expert in the zither and flute The Earthly Dragon Sect: * Kwan Dang is the most senior monk of the Earthly Three, the three grandmasters of the Earthly Dragon Sect. Like his two brothers, he is completely unskilled in external martial arts. However, he is a grandmaster of the sect’s internal artforms which he has helped refine since it was passed down to him from his predecessors. ** Skills: The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations * Wen Dang is one of the Earthly Three. ** Skills: The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations * Jian Dang is one of the Earthly Three'.' ** Skills: The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations * Qi Fei '''was a former First Guardian of Earthly Mountain, taking the name “the Virtueless Monk” to mark his own greatest weakness. At one time, the Earthly Three believed him to be their most promising disciple. ** Skills: The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations; Earthly Dragon Kung Fu specializing in (and originator of) the Seven Winds Form * '''First Nameless Monk was the First Guardian of Earthly Mountain during the time of Bai Feng’s apprenticeship. As the First Guardian, he wore distinctive blue robes. ** Skills: The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations; Earthly Dragon Kung Fu specializing in the Seven Winds Form * The Second Faceless Monk was the Second Guardian of Earthly Mountain during the time of Bai Feng’s apprenticeship. As the Second Guardian, he wore distinctive brown robes. ** Skills: The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations; Earthly Dragon Kung Fu specializing in wrestling techniques * The Third Prideless Monk was the Third Guardian of Earthly Mountain during the time of Bai Feng’s apprenticeship. As the Third Guardian, he wore distinctive black robes. ** Skills: The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations; Earthly Dragon Kung Fu specializing in trapping and deflecting techniques * The Fourth Artless Monk '''was the Fourth Guardian of Earthly Mountain during the time of Bai Feng’s apprenticeship. As a former, military general, he was the most strategic-minded of the Earthly Guardians. As the Fourth Guardian, he wore distinctive gold robes. ** Skills: The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations; Earthly Dragon Kung Fu specializing in (and originator of) the Empty Palm Form; Military Strategy * '''The Fifth Strengthless Monk '''was the Fifth Guardian of Earthly Mountain during the time of Bai Feng’s apprenticeship. As the Fifth Guardian, he wore distinctive red robes. ** Skills: The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations; Earthly Dragon Kung Fu specializing in (and originator) of the Swallow-Kick Form * '''The Sixth Formless Monk '''was the Sixth Guardian of Earthly Mountain during the time of Bai Feng’s apprenticeship. As the Sixth Guardian, he wore distinctive purple robes. ** Skills: The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations; Earthly Dragon Kung Fu specializing in projectiles * '''The Seventh Deedless Monk '''was the Seventh Guardian of Earthly Mountain during the time of Bai Feng’s apprenticeship. As the Seventh Guardian, he wore distinctive green robes. ** Skills: The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations; Earthly Dragon Kung Fu specializing in sword-fighting * '''The Eight Guileless Monk '''was the Eighth Guardian of Earthly Mountain during the time of Bai Feng’s apprenticeship. As the Eighth Guardian, he wore distinctive white robes. ** Skills: The Five Yin Elementals & Five Yan Modulations; Earthly Dragon Kung Fu specializing in the spear and long staff The Shaolin Order: * '''Reverend Tung or “Gilded Divinity” was the former Abbot of the Shaolin Sect and the most powerful martial grandmaster of his generation. More practical than his successor and disciple Reverend Tai, he was known to keep the more nefarious masters of Wulin in check when their behavior began to impact on the common people. ** Skills: Unnamed external skill which he divined in his final days of meditation; Shaolin Internal Arts * Reverend Tai ... see above The Plum Tree Brotherhood: * Xun Da is a powerful young master who roams the Jianghu helping people at his master’s behest. Disciple to the Majestic Wanderer and eventual friend to Bai Feng, he plays a key role in shaping the events of the story. ** Skills: 100 Fists of Majestic Oak * Li Jing is an upstanding young man who had moderate training in the martial arts before being indoctrinated into the Plum Tree Brotherhood’s militia by Xun Da. * Wu Chen '''is Li Jing’s impulsive best friend who follows him into the Plum Tree Brotherhood. The Qui & Allies: * '''Rui’In '''is the King of Qui. He is intent on conquering the central plains. * '''Wangchuk Drup is a powerful master from the Yarlese Valley ** Skills: Immaculate Palms, Cotton Viper Kung Fu * Priest Hou '''is a mendicant Taoist priest and a devious master of unorthodox kung fu. He is deeply insecure and highly untrustworthy. ** Skills: Point-Sealing Kung Fu; Monk’s Spade * '''Sing Yi '''is a boorish kung fu master of a hard martial art. A former warlord from the outer provinces, he is known as “Warlord Sing” and often wields a pair of dagger axes in combat. ** Skills: Iron Bone Kung Fu; Dagger Axes * '''Lin Niu '''is one half of a formidable martial couple who shares matching scars across his face with his wife. ** Skills: Circling Swords Style * '''Lin Fung '''is married to Lin Niu. Together with her husband, she hones their signature sword skill with the aim of making it the most renowned sword skill in Wulin. ** Skills: Circling Swords Style * '''Han Liang '''is a mysterious master who enjoys manipulating those around him and revealing very little about himself. He dresses like a scholar and carries a pair of deer antler blades ** Skills: Jade-Iron Style; Deer Antler Blades * '''Linjin '''is the eldest disciple of Wangchuk Drup. ** Skills: Immaculate Palms * '''Sinjin '''is the second eldest disciple of Wangchuk Drup. ** Skills: Immaculate Palms * '''Henjin '''is the youngest disciple of Wangchuk Drup. ** Skills: Immaculate Palms The Jade Tigers: * '''Tu Xiaobo '''is the founder and leader of the Jade Tigers and father to Tu Ling. Originally a former petty thief, he adopted the life of a Taoist priest so as to disguise his more underhanded endeavours. ** Skills: Jade Tiger style * '''Xu Déshì '''is the senior disciple of the Jade Tiger Sect and Tu Xiaobo’s lead operative. * '''Wang Yuan is a former thief who Tu Xiaobo rescued years earlier from an imperially decreed death sentence. * Zhu Ye is mid-level operative and former warlord from the north western provinces. His tribe was slaughtered by old enemies of the Jade Tigers. Yellow Lake Brotherhood: * Zheng Hui is the leader of the Yellow Lake Brotherhood. * Yi Jin is an arrogant young master of the Brotherhood. Copper Spider Sect: * Ruan Bolin is the leader of the Copper Spider Sect. The Five Point Star Gang: * Liu Ru is the leader of the Five Point Star Gang. * Sun Shu is a senior female fighter of the Five Point Star Gang who specialises in the gang’s point-sealing skills. Heavenly Claw Society: * Second Teng is the second most senior member of the Heavenly Claw Society who wields a short sword. He is killed by Yu Guo Wei. The Northern Sand Ghosts: * Da is a middle-aged woman and troop leader. * Ba is an older man and Da’s right hand man. * Di is a young female member of Da’s troop. * Lu is an adopted member of the tribe and romantic partner to Di. Bai Family: * Bai Tengfei is Bai Feng’s grandfather. As a young boy he witnessed an epic duel between the Virtueless Monk and the Divine Alchemist which directly inspired him to develop the Soaring Palm Style. * Bai Shen is Bai Feng’s father and was a minor official appointed to the region of Baiyun Mountain. When he discovered compromising information on a senior official, he was forced to flee the latter’s wrath and hide out with his wife and brothers for several years. * Sun Jun is Bai Feng’s mother. * Mah Lok is a pacifist priest from the Lowly Sea Sect. He is cousin to Bai Feng’s father and raised Bai Feng after Bai Shen and Sun Jun were forced to flee. Others: * Ng Méh-è is a Buddhist nun and scholar of renowned virtue and talent respectively. She is a lifetime friend of Wong Shi Hong and he often calls on her to aid disputes when a more diplomatic touch is required. * Zhao Zhu is a Commissioner of the Imperial Majesty's High Council * Tamin and Mewar hail from the southern continent and carry five element wheels. * Juan Ji is an expert of the southern regions of the central plains.